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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

The Phenomenon of Longevity among Photographers.

Cartier-Bresson's first Leica. Photo via Wikipedia.

It’s impossible for any person to stop the process of physical, psychological, and social change.
At a certain age a person’s capacities go down, but there are different limits for every profession. Probably we can say that there are certain age limits for sportsmen’s career (30 – 40 years old).
And what about photographers?

The phenomenon of longevity among photographers is not studied enough. But there are many great examples that photographers continue their career even in advanced age.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, a great French photographer considered to be the father of photojournalism, died at age of 95 (you can check out the detailed page on Wikipedia here).

Ansel Adams, a recognized and honored master of the pure landscape school of photography, arguably the greatest photographer of the 20th century, was died at 82 (read more here).

Irving Penn, one of the 20th century’s most influential fashion photographers died at 92 (read more here).

Yousuf Karsh, a great Armenian Canadian portrait photographer, whose photographic portraits of the famous and the powerful are known to millions throughout the world, died at 93 (read more here).

Alfred Eisenstaedt was a German-born American photographer and photojournalist, became famous as the quintessential Life photographer. His career lasted more than 50 years. He died at 96 (read more here).

Arnold Newman, whose “environmental portraits” of leaders of world culture and politicians revealed their souls, died at 88 (read more here).

Imogen Cunningham is one of the greatest American women photographers, with the longest photographic career in the history of the medium, died at age 93 (read more here).

Revered Observer photographer Jane Bown died aged 89. She photographed Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for her 80th birthday. It was Jane’s 80th birthday that same year (read more here).

Eve Arnold, the celebrated American photojournalist whose famous subjects included Marilyn Monroe, gave up the camera only in the late 1990s, after almost 50 years documenting the 20th century. She died at the age of 99 (read more here).

What is the reason for the longevity of the photographers?
One reason is their active lifestyle. Even studio photographers do not lead a sedentary life and have a good physical shape.
And the next reason (maybe even more important) is that it is a creative profession, guaranteeing a positive view of the world.